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vacation

When my daughters were 9 and 7 years old, our family moved from Massachusetts to Washington State. My wife and I, in our infinite wisdom, decided to make our move into an exotic adventure. We would drive across the country in the late spring--Why take major highways when we could explore the back roads of our great nation? Why not camp and only occasionally stay at motels? Our station wagon was packed so tightly with gear that we needed a crowbar to fit our children into the backseat. Our 7-year old was carsick and screaming after the first 10 miles of winding roads--Only 2,990 miles to go... Read More

In early June, kids and adults are counting the days to summer vacation. School is so demanding! Not just for kids, but for their parents too. In my day, parents had very little to do with their children’s homework. But today, educators expect parents to be involved and engaged in both coaching children when it comes to homework and making sure that they do it! This can require significant time and effort for Moms and Dads, particularly for the parent that is the designated homework helper. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

My good friend Tracy and his wife are taking care of their two young grandchildren, while their parents spend a week in Hawaii. Wow! They are super grandparents! And you know that their daughter and son-in-law will be forever in their debt.

It reminded me how important it is for parents to get away by themselves to remember that they are not just moms and dads, but they are also romantic partners too. The “baby-young child” phase of parenthood is so compelling and all absorbing. It is a transformative experience for newly minted parents. It’s very easy to put your relationship on... Read More

Woo hoo! School is out! I hear a huge sigh of relief from kids, parents, and teachers. By June, everyone is ready for vacation. School is the kid equivalent of adult work. Their childhood job is to go to school every day—pay attention in class, complete homework, take tests, finish projects, and later on, write papers. For young children it’s fun—but as the years go on, it can be stressful. The pressure is off for the next two months.

This is a good time for parents to reflect on the school year. How did it go for your youngsters? What went well? What could use some improvement?... Read More

Everyone loves vacations! --Travel to far away places, cabins on the Hood canal or Whidbey Island, camping, or just staying home and hiking in our nearby mountains. It’s all good. With spring in full gear, we can all taste summer right around the corner.

Vacations and holidays provide a contrast to our hectic workaday lives. They help us feel restored, rested, and relaxed. It’s fun to anticipate our time off.

But vacations are few and far between. While anticipating pleasant events in the future can be energizing, what about today? How can I take daily mini vacations and... Read More